Manager, Benefits

Doane-Grant-Thornton-LLP; Toronto; On-site; CAD 88,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing

Flexible days

RRSP contributions

Holiday closure

Wellness benefits

Summer remote work in Canada

Job summary

Doane Grant Thornton is seeking a Manager, Benefits to lead cross-Canada administration of group benefits, retirement plans and leave programs. You will manage insurer relationships, disability management with a partner provider, and drive cost analyses and reporting to support strategic decisions.

The role requires 7–10+ years in benefits, 3+ years of people management, and strong Excel/Workday skills. A CEBS or HR designation is preferred.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of experience in benefits administration, ideally with self-administered plans.
• People management experience of at least 3 years is preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with proficiency in Excel/Microsoft Office and HRIS (Workday).
• Excellent people management, communication and interpersonal skills with ability to provide expert advice to all client levels.

Responsibilities

• Manage administration of benefits, retirement plans and leave programs across Canada.
• Oversee insurer/vendor relationships, including SLA monitoring and regular reviews.
• Direct disability adjudication and management with third-party providers; monitor quality and report trends.
• Oversee monthly benefits billing, premium reconciliations and cost analyses.
• Assist with plan design, renewal negotiations and annual re-enrollment.
• Lead annual contract negotiations and market positioning reviews.
• Serve as primary contact for Partner benefits and programs.
• Improve benefits systems/tools and update policy documentation.

Skills

Excel proficiency

HRIS (Workday)

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

People management

Education

Undergraduate degree or diploma

CEBS designation

HR/Compensation designation

Tools

Workday

Job description

Who we are

You know those big cities that still feel like small towns? Where everyone’s friendly and helps each other out? That’s like Doane Grant Thornton. Except here we’re all professionals and there isn’t a mayor or a general store. What we’re trying to say is that we’re a large and growing professional services firm that still feels like a community. We employ about 3000 people across Canada, and we truly care about our colleagues, our clients and the communities where we work and live. That’s what’s most important to us. We’re building a thriving organization that’s purpose driven and still want to remember what your favourite milkshake flavour is.

This role has firmwide responsibility for the administration and management of group insurance benefits and leave programs. The successful incumbent will be experienced in running regular and annual benefit cycles (including annual re-enrollment) for self-administered group plans along with strong experience in in-house or third-party disability management, ideally in a mid- to large-sized organization. Delivering exceptional client experience, the ability to guide and coach people, a process improvement mindset, and being a subject matter expert in all things benefits are key factors to success in this role.

As a Manager, Benefits your responsibilities will include:

• Manage the administration of benefits, retirement plans and leave programs for colleagues across Canada
• Manage insurer and vendor relationships, including SLA monitoring and scheduling regular experience and trend review meetings
• Directly manage the disability adjudication and management process through a third-party service provider and insurer, monitor process and service quality to ensure a fair and consistent approach, and create insightful reports to highlight trends and potential improvement in support systems
• Oversee the monthly benefits billing process and manage regular and off-system premium reconciliations and related cost and actuals-to-budget analyses
• Assist with plan design considerations and costing, annual renewal negotiations, and the annual re-enrollment cycle
• Assist with the annual contract negotiation process and with market positioning reviews
• Primary contact for Partner benefits and programs
• Contribute to the optimization and enhancement of benefits-related systems and tools to improve the user experience and knowledge, manage system updates and testing, and update benefits and program policy and related material on the firm’s intranet site.
• Support benefits and wellness initiatives and participate in special/ad-hoc projects
• Manage, coach and develop direct report(s) and provide expert guidance on benefits and programs policies, legislation, and processes to various internal client groups, and ensure compliance with applicable legislation and internal firm policies and processes.

Doane Grant Thornton

If you’re a bit like us, you’re driven to connect with how others are feeling and thinking. Here we walk in others shoes before taking action. Just imagine being part of a team that puts “we before me”, where flexAbility is a mindset, and where you trust your colleagues to have your back. At Doane Grant Thornton, you’ll work with inspiring leaders who support your development, both personally and professionally. This is a place where your insatiable curiosity enables you to think, see and hear from a variety of perspectives, a place where every day is different and having the courage to grow is part of who you are. And when all this comes together, well that’s when the magic happens!

Want to learn more about who we are and how we live our purple every day? Read our colleagues’ stories at www.discoveryourpurple.ca

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Manager, Benefits? Like the colour purple? Great. Here’s a few more boxes we’re also hoping you can tick:

• Undergraduate degree or diploma in any discipline. A CEBS or equivalent designation is preferred, and an HR or Compensation designation will be beneficial
• 7-10+ years of experience in benefits administration, ideally with self-administered plans. People management experience of at least 3 years is preferred
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with strong proficiency in Excel/ Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS systems (particularly Workday)
• Excellent people management, communication and interpersonal skills, and proven experience with delivering credible, expert advice to all levels of client groups, including senior leadership, along with a high degree of confidentiality, empathy and tact
• Ability to thrive in a busy environment and flexibility to work beyond regular business hours as needed.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian employment legislation and current benefits and wellness trends

At Doane Grant Thornton we’re focused on making a difference in the lives of our clients, our colleagues and our communities. That’s our purpose. Or, as we like to say, living our purple.

What's in it for you?

• Profit sharing
• Flex days
• RRSP contributions
• Firmwide holiday closure
• Wellness benefits
• Concierge-like benefits
• Work from anywhere in Canada in the summer for 4 weeks
• and more!

At Doane Grant Thornton, we believe compensation should reflect more than just market data—it should reflect you. We’re serious about compensation. We benchmark regularly across a wide spectrum of roles, industries, sectors, and levels to ensure our ranges are both competitive and current. But we don’t stop there. We also consider the unique strengths, experiences, and impact each individual brings to the table. Our salary ranges are reviewed annually, and where you land within the range depends on a mix of factors—your background, your skills, and how your contributions align with internal equity. To help start the conversation, the current salary range for this role is $87,500–$120,000 in Toronto, ON. If the role is available in other locations, the range may differ to reflect local market factors.

Our special culture shines through when we have the opportunity to connect in person. That’s why we’re working in a model where teams are required to be together in the office 4 days per week.

Are you ready to Discover Your Purple?